Cambridge - GCSE Courses

GCSE course structure

Students come to MPW for GCSE courses primarily because of our average of six students per class and absolute guarantee of fewer than 10. The differential between this average and that of a traditional school is even more marked at GCSE than at A level. There can be other reasons too, e.g. that we are co-ed, that we don’t have school uniform etc, but it’s when pupils really need the extra personal attention that they can get in a small class and via our outstanding pastoral support system that we can offer the most help.

As a GCSE pupil at MPW, you’ll feel that we’re less like a school than your old school, but you won’t have as much freedom as our A level students. If you’re under 16 at the beginning of the school year, we’re required by law to provide some compulsory sports and some personal and social education. We also provide a much closer level of supervision (e.g. during lesson breaks) than is necessary for our A level pupils.

GCSE subjects

We believe in providing you with a range of subjects that is broad. You cannot avoid all the subjects that you don’t like in the same way that the A level students can. You are going to find that Maths, English and a Science are compulsory. It is also advisable to study a Humanities and a language. GCSE students also have a compulsory Life Skills/Citizenship lesson and PE each week. Within that constraint, we are as flexible as we can be in fitting in with your particular likes and strengths. If you are over 16, we have much more flexibility.